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Webster 1913 Edition


Possibly

Pos′si-bly

,
adv.
In a possible manner; by possible means; especially, by extreme, remote, or improbable intervention, change, or exercise of power; by a chance; perhaps;
as,
possibly
he may recover
.
Can we . . .
possibly
his love desert?
Milton.
When
possibly
I can, I will return.
Shakespeare

Webster 1828 Edition


Possibly

POS'SIBLY

,
adv.
By any power, moral or physical, really existing. Learn all that can possibly be known.
Can we possibly his love desert?
1.
Perhaps; without absurdity.
Arbitrary power tends to make a man a bad sovereign, who might possibly have been a good one, had he been invested with authority circumscribed by laws.

Definition 2024


possibly

possibly

English

Adverb

possibly (comparative more possibly, superlative most possibly)

  1. (modifying a clause or predicate) Perhaps; indicates that the proposition may be true (is not certainly false) regardless of any facts or circumstances known to, stated by or implied by the speaker.
    Possibly, they will make gains in the midterm elections.
    It was possibly the costliest mistake in the organization's history.
    This rare and possibly unique specimen must be conserved.
  2. (modifying a verb) In the realm of possibility; indicates that the action may successfully be performed (is not impossible) regardless of any facts or circumstances known to, stated by or implied by the speaker that might limit the performance.
    I'm much stronger than you, so you can't possibly win.
    I couldn't possibly be there on time.
    I couldn't possibly cheat on my wife.
    It seems unlikely, but, yes, they could possibly win even now.
    The police don't know him, and the information they have leads them to think he could possibly have murdered his wife.

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